crashing
by bubblesquirt
Summary: Excerpt: "And then Hal's world is blowing up for the second time in his short 16 years of life." Hal makes a deal with the devil.


A/N: Of course when I should be studying and doing homework I write fanfiction. Of course I do. I have an idea of where I want to take this but nothing more is written as of yet. I don't know when I'm going to be able to post again. I do not have a beta.

2nd A/N: I am making no money or profit from this story. Just need more Falling Skies in my life. If you have a story you'd like me to read, let me know! And let me know what you think if you'd like.

Last A/N: This takes place in season 1, episode 2, when their little group is captured by Pope and he has just left to take the 50 cal on the back of the GTO. He leaves his captives with Billy, Q-Ball, &amp; Maggie. Basically, what if Maggie hadn't spoken up and saved the day? Here's what I think:

* * *

"Get up."

It isn't long before the tense silence is suddenly shattered. The brief moment of confusion the prisoners share isn't long either.

"He's talkin' to you." Maggie clarifies for Billy, who is evidently feeling much better, all thanks to Dr. Glass' treatment. Not that they are receiving much in the "thank you" department at the moment.

"I said, 'get up!'" The echoes float across the walls, succeeding in making them all feel even smaller in the vast auditorium. The sense of helplessness is thick in the air as the young blonde rises to her feet.

"That's it. Now turn around. I wanna see what we got."

Karen starts a slow spin, avoiding eye contact with everyone else in the room, until she reaches Billy again.

"Look at you. You are a pretty one."

She wills herself not to break eye contact with the man who is turning into more of a monster than the ones that roam just outside their walls, but his next words almost unravel her resolve.

"We're gonna have ourselves a good time, you know that?"

She finally breaks eye contact to stare resolutely at the ground, not before she catches a bizarre look on Maggie's face. Is that guilt? Regret? Sympathy? She is just deciding it was only her imagination when her musings are interrupted.

"Leave her alone." She knows without looking that her boyfriend is standing now, ready to defend her. Karen blinks away tears.

"_Hal_." Tom's fervent whisper does not go unheard, but it is deftly ignored by everyone.

Almost everyone. The other captor, the one still standing behind them, Q-something or other, hushes Tom Mason with a hand around his throat and the barrel of his gun in his face. Tom resists the hand that rests gently just under his jaw, but there is little to no room between the gun that's resting lightly on his right cheek and the man's leering face on his left. His breath is hot against his ear.

"Now, now. Let's see how this plays out." And if Tom's stomach wasn't already doing somersaults, now the cartwheels are in full force.

Billy shares a smile and a nod of thanks with his partner. He is still grinning when he catches Hal's gaze.

"Who's going to stop me, _Hal_?" His name is spoken with derision. Hal's breathing speeds up and he tries desperately to catch up. He doesn't have an adequate answer to the question, so he settles on repeating himself firmly.

Billy's up faster than any of them can fathom; one second he's lying down, propping himself up by his arms, the next he's sitting on the edge of the auditorium stage, legs dangling in front of him. The drugs coursing through his veins are lending him strength he shouldn't be able to possess in his state.

"And do you have something to offer in her place, boy?" He traps his bottom lip between his teeth suggestively as his eyes travel down the length of Hal's body.

The teenager's mouth opens but no sound comes out. There's something in his throat blocking any words from forming, it's traveling to his brain, making him light headed, making his thoughts go hazy.

The buzzing in his ears clears a bit when he hears the other captor. "He's skinny like a girl."

Billy's chuckling now and makes a motion with his head, inviting Hal to come forward.

Hal closes his mouth now, can feel his dad's despair behind him as he takes a shaky step forward.

"No-" His dad's next words are cut off; Hal sneaks a peek to see that there are fingers exploring the inside of his mouth and he fights through the sick feeling gushing through his blood, up and around and up again until it feels like his life force is going to pour right out of him.

Billy's gaze catches his partner's again and now Tom is gagging on the fingers that are being shoved down his throat.

"Stop, stop it..." He whispers. Hal is torn between rushing to his father or the brute still waiting for him. He tests the zip ties binding him for the hundredth time, trembling fingers spreading apart with no result.

Billy pats the stage in front of him with a leer. Hal almost stumbles as he makes his way over, his dad's choking sounds leading him on.

When he finally reaches the man, Hal finds his voice again. "Make him stop."

The man's tongue is slowly wetting his upper lip, taking his time in responding.

"You seem to be making a lot of demands, boy." He lifts a shoulder. "What do I get in return?"

"Let them go."

Billy's loud laugh makes him flinch as if he's been struck, but he sees him look at Q-Ball and give a signal. Now Hal can hear his father violent coughs as he doubles over and spits out the taste of the man's flesh from his mouth.

Tom speaks through his wheezing. "Don't…Hal…" His voice is rough and he's gasping for breath, but Billy doesn't take his eyes off Hal.

Now that his dad is tentatively free from the abductor's hands, Hal seems to rethink how close he is to the one in front of him and tries to take a step back to safety.

Billy's hand reaches out and grabs the front of his jacket. Hal is flush against the stage now with the man's face in his own and he feels all his strength and courage fall out of a hole inside of him. He is left with an empty feeling; he doesn't feel anything as the man invades his personal space even more. Hal turns away as the man's face is only inches away from his and his breath rushes out in one big whoosh at the man's next statement.

"Deal."

* * *

Now that they are alone, Hal is feeling more defiant than earlier. He wants to test his limits, needs to push the boundaries, because now he doesn't have to see the pity in Karen's eyes, he doesn't have to hear his father being manhandled into submission.

He is secured to a chair, and Billy is now walking, miraculously, with the help of a stumpy looking stick acting as a cane, circles around him.

His backtalk and stubbornness has earned him a few backhands. The right side of his face is throbbing in time with his heartbeat. He spits more of his blood onto the floor and doesn't look up when Billy speaks.

"I thought you wanted this, Hal. You practically begged me to spare your little girlfriend."

He continues when Hal doesn't respond. "There's still time. I could go get her and-"

"Don't." Now Hal is looking up, making eye contact and projecting the hate coursing through his insides, as if looks can kill.

Billy sighs loudly and reaches a hand out. He tsks slightly when Hal winces away and he gets the hint. The boy stays relatively still as he runs his rough fingers across his cheek, below his ear, into his hair.

"So let's get started, eh?" Hal blinks up at him, not understanding at first, but his world starts crashing down around him as he sees fingers gripping a zipper, as he hears the metal teeth pull apart, as he feels the grip in his hair tighten. And then Hal's world is blowing up for the second time in his short 16 years of life.

* * *

So? What do you think? Keep going? Abandon (alien space) ship? Please let me know!


End file.
